By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Federal Government, on Wednesday, offered explanation on why President Muhammadu Buhari did not intervene in the Adamawa supplementary governorship election crisis.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who offered the explanation, said Buhari does not micro-manage any institution of government.
He said the responsibility to deal with the infraction by the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, rests solely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
METROWATCHXTRA.COM recalls that Ari had prematurely declared candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Dahiru Binani, winner of the election, which was immediately voided by the electoral body.
INEC had consequently requested the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, to draw the attention of the appointing authority(Presidency) to the “unwholesome behaviour” of the REC for further action.
However, speaking after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the presidential villa, Abuja, Mohammed said he was not aware that a petition had been written to Buhari on the need to take action against Ari, who he stressed is an employee of INEC.
The minister maintained that the President’s non-reaction was because Buhari “has never intervened in the way INEC conducts its elections” and consequently does not micro-manage any institution of government.
Mohammed also explained why he accused the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, of committing treason, saying that if his running-mate had called for insurrection and he did not react, he(Obi) is guilty as charged.
He said since Mr Obi did not rebuke his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, for saying that if the President-elect, Bola Tinubu is sworn-in on May 29, ‘it would be the end of democracy in the country’, it meant that Ahmed said the mind of Mr Obi.
The Minister insisted that the recently concluded 2023 general elections was the “least violent” in the country’s history.
He said that President Buhari did not allow anyone to use security agencies to oppress opposition or rig the election.
